TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Wrestlers Not Ready For End

ADVERTISEMENT

By EDDIE DANIELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 2, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - In preparing for today's district tournament, River Ridge coach Russ Schenk relayed some information to his team.

He talked about two wrestlers, St. Petersburg's Sam Pruitt, a two-time state champion, and Northeast's state titlist Phil Rizzo.

Both wrestlers finished fourth in their district and fourth in their region. Why is that important? Only the top four wrestlers in each weight class advance from the district and regional tournaments to reach the state tournament.

"That just shows, your goal is to finish in the top four," Schenk said. "It doesn't matter first, second, third or fourth. You get to move on."

And in moving on to the next level, there's always a chance a wrestler can be upset, opening the door for someone else to step up.

"Every week is so much more important," Schenk said. "When they realize that, 'Hey, guys have gotten fourth in district and fourth in region and first in state, it really gives them an idea that, 'I might finish third in my district, but I could still place top three or four in the state.'"

River Ridge will be competing in the Class 2A-District 5 tournament, hosted by Ridgewood. Springstead is the tournament favorite.

Gulf coach Travis DeWalt uses his team's second-place finish in last weekend's Sunshine Athletic Conference tournament as fuel for his group.
DeWalt was somewhat pleased with the finish, because it showed his young wrestlers could stand up in the face of a challenge, but he was not satisfied with the points the team left on the mat.

As the team has picked up on its two-a-day practice sessions, he has made it clear guys have to wrestle hard or their season will end.

"Make no mistake about it, second place in the SAC tournament is not, and was not, part of out goal," DeWalt said. "So to view it any other way than falling short, I wouldn't be doing the team any justice.

"Monday we had a very good meeting about what we did and didn't do at the conference tournament, and we refocused on the rest of our goals this year, of course one of which is to win a district title."

After a lengthy week of studying the 10 teams involved in the 1A-District 6 tournament hosted by Pasco, DeWalt expects a dogfight at the top with Pasco, Hudson and his bunch.

The overall message the coaches want their kids to take to heart is simple.

"These kids have been told that this is their last tournament. You wrestle this one like this is it," DeWalt said, "because if you don't, it will be."

DISTRICT WRESTLING

CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 5

WHERE/WHEN: Ridgewood, 7650 Orchid Lake Road, New Port Richey/today, first round, 11 a.m.; finals, 4 p.m.

ADMISSION: $10 for both sessions (or $6 for one)

PARTICIPANTS: Brooksville Central, Dunedin, Land O' Lakes, Ridgewood, River Ridge, Groveland South Lake, Springstead, Tarpon Springs, Wesley Chapel

CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 6

WHERE/WHEN: Pasco, 36850 State Road 52 Dade City/first round, 10 a.m.; finals, 3 p.m.

ADMISSION: $10 for both sessions (or $6 for one)

PARTICIPANTS: Orlando Agape Christian, Orlando Bishop Moore, Gulf, Hudson, Orlando Jones, Orlando Lake Highland Prep, Pasco, Sunlake, Wiregrass Ranch, Zephyrhills

Eddie Daniels

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT